SAU Football tabbed to finish second in GAC by Hooten's Arkansas Football

BENTON, Ark. (SAU) - The highly-anticipated annual publication, Hooten's Arkansas Football, is out on newsstands across the state Arkansas and the state's premier source for high school and college football, has the Southern Arkansas football team picked to finish second in the Great American Conference in 2013.

Fans of SAU football around the Magnolia area will see a very familiar face when they pick up their copy of the prominent magazine as SAU's starting quarterback Tyler Sykora graces the regional cover with the tagline: "Surging SAU: Record-setting QB Tyler Sykora, Muleriders attack the GAC"

Hooten's prediction of where the Muleriders will finish in a very competitive GAC is the latest indication of the buzz surrounding the 2013 Mulerider football team.

Heading into the fall, the Muleriders return 18 starters (eight offensive, 10 defensive) from a 2012 team that went 8-3 and appeared in post-season play in the Heart of Texas Bowl. Key offensive returners for the Muleriders in 2013 include Sykora and senior running back Mark Johnson. Both Johnson and Sykora were All-GAC and All-Super Region Three performers a year ago. Key defensive returners for the Muleriders include a trio of senior linebackers in Sam Cowling, Tate Mustin, and Mark Spaight. The trio combined for 174 total tackles with 18.5 coming for lost yardage.